Expanding chain for bracelets or wrist band for watches



A. PINSON ,695,493

EXPANDING CHAIN FOR BRACELETS OR WRIST BANDS FOR WATCHES Nov. 30, 1954Filed Jan. 22. 1952 lllllllll EIIIIII- Iv EXPANDING CHAIN FOR BRACELETSR WRIST BAND FOR WATCHES Alfred Pinson, Stamford, Conn., assignor toApex Accessories Co., Inc., Greenwich, Conn.

Application January 22, 1952, Serial No. 267,625

Claims. (Cl. 59-79) and its relation to the longitudinal axis of thechain in the retracted and fully extended position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chain of the typereferred to in which the exposed surfaces of the elements lendthemselves to a variety of shapes without any change in the constructionof the chain elements proper.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this application:

Figure l is a plan of a fragment of the retracted chain,

one unit of the chain being shown with the covers removed;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a fragment of the chain fullyextended with one section thereof having its covers removed to betterillustrate the construction;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of the liner shown in Figure 7;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6--6 of the rocker bar shown in Figure 7;and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the separate and spaced parts for aunit of the chain.

Referring to the drawing:

The chain units each comprise a liner 10 in the form of an caredcircular washer, the two cars 11 of which liner are diametricallyopposite and project from the convex edge of the liner and are co-planarwith it. The liner 10 of each unit in the chain has the diameter passingthrough the ears thereof set at an angle of about 45 with thelongitudinal axis of the chain in the retracted position.

Mounted pivotally between its ends on the innerface of the liner 10 is arocker bar 12, the ends 13 of which overhang the convex edge of theliner. These ends are depressed so that the ends 13 are substantiallyco-planar with the inner surface of the liner 10.

The pivot 14, which pins concentrically the rocker bar to the liner 10,permits angular displacement of at least 60 away from the ear to thesame side of the longitudinal axis of the chain in the retractedposition thereof. See Figure 1. In addition, the pining of the rockerbar to the liner permits a certain amount of play getugezen thecontacting surfaces of said liner 10 and The rocker bar 12 and the liner10 of the unit are engaged by a helical spring 15, positioned above therocker bar 12 and concentric with the liner 10. The end 15' of thespring 15 is anchored to a hook 16 rising from the rocker bar 12, seeFigures 6 and 7, while the other end 15" of said spring 15 is anchoredto a lug 17, rising from the liner 10. Said lug makes an angle of about45 with the nearest car 11 of said liner 10. See Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and7.

The said spring 15 is so tensioned that it normally tends to bring theend 13 of the rocker bar 12 towards the car 11 of the same unit withwhich the lug 17 makes a 45 angle. The angular movement of the rockerbar on the liner is not less than 60 and is limited between theretracted position of the unit by the engagement of upper surface ofsaid depressed 2,695,493 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 the end 13 of the rockerbar with the car 11, and in the extended position by the engagement ofthe rocker bar 12 with the lug 17. See Figure 2.

An arcuated link 18 connects pivotally an ear 11 of the liner 10 to theproximate end 13 of the rocker bar of the adjacent unit on the same sideof the longitudinal axis of the chain, so that the angular relationbetween the liner ears 11 and the rocker bar of each chain unit inretracted position is about 30 to each side of the chains longitudinalaxis. In the retractedposition of l the chain the ears 11 of thecircular washer 10 are also on opposite sides of a line normal to thelongitudinal axis of the washer that passes through the center of. same,with each of said ears being adjacent to theproximate unit to which theear is connected. The in-- 1 net concave edge of the link 18 has aradius slightly greater than the radius of the convex edge of the liner10. See Figure 1 (the exposed unit). Although the drawing shows theouter edge also arcuated, it does not have to be; it may take any formto suit the design to which the chain is to conform.

The tendency of the spring 15 is to draw the adjacent units and to movethe links 18 to bring the concave'edge thereof to be concentric with thecircular part of the liner 10 of same unit due to engagement of therocker bar ends with the ears. See Figure 1. When the chain is extended,as shown in Figure 2, the links 18 are moved between the adjacent units,and due to the predetermined angular displacements between the rockerbar and the liner of the units, the symmetry of the chain is maintainedduring the extension, as will be seen from Figure 2. 1n the fullyextended position of the chain the liner and the rocker bar of each unitare at right angles and at 45 each to the longitudinal axis of thechain.

The liner 10 is provided with a cover 19; see Figures 3, 4, and 7. Theskirt 21 of the cover is provided with diametrically opposite cut-outs20 to permit the rocker bar to move angularly with reference to theliner. Suit able tongues 22 are provided on the lower edge of the skirtwhereby the cover may be locked to the undersurface of the liner.

Each of the links is also provided with a cover 23; see Figures 1, 2,and 7. The skirt 24 of the cover 23 has suitable tongues 25 whereby itmay be locked to the underside of the link-18 to provide a bettersupport for It is to be noted that by limiting the angular move-- mentsof the liner and rocker bar by the engagement of the ears of the linerwith the ends of the rocker bar in normal retracted position of the unitand that of the rocker bar with the lug 17 of the liner in fully extended position, there can be no strain on the skirt of the cover 19 forthe liner by the angular movement of the rocker bar.

I claim:

1. An expanding chain formed of an alining series of units, each unitcomprising a liner in the shape of a two-cared circular washer, the earsof which are diametrically opposite and disposed on opposite sides ofthe longitudinal axis of the chain from the retracted to the extendedposition thereof, a rocker bar mounted pivotally and concentrically withthe liner and having its ends extending beyond the convex edge of theliner, said ears lying on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of thechain and on opposite sides of a linenormal to the longitudinal axisthat passes through the center of said circular washer with each of saidears being adjacent to the proximate unit to which the ear is to be connected, a link to each side of the longitudinal axis of the chain havinga concave inner edge of a radius greater than that of the convex edge ofthe liner and connected pivotally with one end to an ear of the linerand with the other end to the end of the rocker bar of an adjacent unit,a helical spring connected to the rocker bar and the liner to normallymove the end of the rocker bar toward the ear of the liner lying to thesame side of the longitudinal axis of the chain, said connectionbringing the link into concentricity with the liner when a a-ghee.

the unit is retracted by thespring to normal position, and a cover forsaid liner housing the spring and having means to permit a relativeangular displacement between the liner and the rocker ban ex an in hhihteamed. ei. h. aim erie o units a h u it G9. he a lin r n. th shape. of.tWe-eered atw the rs o Wh eh are. am trh sa l ehn sit 9912 t. with t ehe. said eats lyi eh. nnes te si es at gt lllli ll ax s. he. cha n andQll cassette side a a hh he the to. helehat adi a it tha Bas ou h thheater t eaideh ulh w her W ch sa th ats heihs d a ent o. he. P hsim atea th whl hihe ea is. a. he CQPIAQQWL e 298. e tetl Pt stall a eeheetieah with i h h.- hsylh i end exte din he qh t e urve e e otthe. s hehst hg s hei slent sse l tch h th ame 1 atte 9t het, a link. n eaeh sido the. .hal axis heehe h ha in a e heax nner e ge at e ra iate. st at tt ah hat. hi th ei ehla ed e hehah ehh ete piy tal n i h. o end t ear att e. hash and w h. thee he to. he. ate ihh d e ed; at. at. t e te h r: hrehea h t, a heiwt ar hs. hhe ce th tethe he ha in he ends. eehh stes thre. h eln e. th ba and. he. nen said spring normally ten ug to rnogethedepress ed encls hi the. tethe ha twa -d a o t e lthenly h to theeitl af. the l h ith ah axis 12. the hai the e hhee eh han n the ner.echea e. g of he a hat d l hh illlQ; e h ti tn h e eh ar ed e 9. lit er.w t e s r aete hy the. pr n to. its tet zel pesttteh ahdehxet for a d heahdl h s.

hit leex te t h t h usin he eatin an having means. t netth t a relativen ular displac men b tween th heat hd he ehhet ha Ahe ne tl h eha nfqmed 91 3. n. al n eries at? halts eae h teehtptis h t. he n. e. p at a.se ei ehlatwashet wh ehieah ar dia tehti l y eti qsi a. ea ..,.ea .e. mits en ppos te sides o he ohgi: tudinal axis of the chain and on oppositesides of a lin e as hma to, he. eh itud thll his't a as es. hrou h. thee ht 't Q 5 sai heula wash r wi heaeh t said e ts eeth-a dja ent.- to,the pr ximate. hittel hich the. ear s. to. .Q9! ?-$E .d a. wette hathehhtedpivotal y and eeh eh sieal y. w th th l ner and h ving it end,portion htehsl a y hst the; he ah ge. of the ihe sla. h lical springconnected to the bar and linen respect iyely and eh ehes 9 het al w taia h a h. en of h rock ha against; t e. '45. Qt. h in n. oth.- a d; ear yn .t h me sid et; h leh i h ihalah .ot he. chain, he he r relat n beween e; d am r alty.- eppnsite eats en he. eehet at n. he; h malz reacted; posi in tee hin ah ea e. eh abou 67 a lit e 9. e h side; o thelongitudinal axis of the chain having an a ncpa t ed n er. d e Qla rdius. eate han. he. i ul r: ed Qf: he ine hh ne hhe te hivetally, with.one nd; to h etiht fi he ine ehdlw e' Qt eh nd o eehd a nr hhha o ketbar ti a jacent un aid. e n: 9Q= Qfz h uh with e ne: and. he rockerba beas es eht d. br n a d nlts. in o; eehtriq y: with h .l neh n h .te haetdln s t qh. of the cha n. e engths of the links to each side being suchthat thel diameter; passing through said ears of the liner forms; anangle h ab ut: 4. wi h. he ong tudin l: axis. of. he. ha he. 'le heettl. PQSillOD. hereof, he rock r; bar form n n an e. of out .5? wi h he.long tudina axis. Qt e 4. chain when the same is fully extended," and acover for said liner housing the spring and having means for permittingthe rocker bar to move angularly through an angle of more than 60 withreference to the liner.

4. An expanding chain formed of an alining series of units, each unitcomprising a liner in the shape of a two-cared circular washer; whichears are diametrically pe e n x -plan r w h h er said ears yi onopposite sides of the longitudinal axis ofthe chain and on oppositesides of a line normal tothe longitudinal axis thet assee hreh h th enteat i r lar w h with each Qf said ears being adjacent to the proximateunit to which the ear is to be connected, a rocker bar nted piv th ls ndconc ntr cally th the lin r. and having itsend portion extending beyondthe curved part of the liner and" depressedto lieint the plane of theliner, a helical spring mounted above the rocker bar engaging with itsends respectively the said bar and the linen, said; springheingtensionecl. to.- normally. maintain he t chet ba ends. ag inst: hars Q h lin r, both can and end lyingt t0 the 881 9 side, of the.longitudinal; axis of the chain, the g lan relation between. the dit. meti ally QPPQSi Qeahs and the; rocker. bar. in. the norretractedposition; oi. the chain forming an angle of sheet 3.0%. a i k; to eachsidecf. the. longitudinal axis. of the chain eaclrhaving a concaveinner: edge of aradius. teate han hat:v t: the convex edge of the. lsaid linlg being connected; pivotallyt with one. end to;.the eat of, theliner and with the other; end to the proximate tlephe e l. nd o a.EQQKQE ar of. n j nt unit; said connection of the links with the earsand. thelinerof the 2 51 9f; llfi. EQFKQ E: being. adaptedto bring thesaid links into concentricity with the circular parts of thehheh 'l; thetethaa th Rcs lliQ i of the. chain, the. length f h ll; lhhsr le h t l qhat he-diameter passing through; said ears of the liner forms an angleof about 45; with the le at nsli hat a is- 2f" the. chain; in. theretracte h P hawl-t ll he 1 9 Qrmmg-an angle of about. 45 w th.longipudina of. the chain when. the

same is fully, eggtendem; and; covers; for said liner. and links, saidco -yer tor. the; liner; housing the; spring and hax hg mea s r; R aning h oclcen ban. to. move angularly through an angle of more than 60with. r efer.-. ehe athe in n-i.

5. An expanding chain as defined; in claim 1v include ha eattlline ha na, lu mean the...c.irc.u1ar g thereof rising above the ip ner surfac thelongitudinal axis of the cha P9lll$h hereei andl he. i me ttealln pne Qheeh hl aid he ein ad p ed; to. form an abut: ment for the roclcer hanwhemthewhainis fully. extended.

a hemetracted. normal angles Qfi about: 45 with Re ereheesfi tes n he Qhhisp tem UNIT-E13" STATES PATENT-S1 n lie substantially in.

ears. 111:. said; normaltposition.

